darmes, was loud in expressing delight at the whole proceedure. An entertainment given for them, for their own amusement by the Americans! "Tiens, que 'c'est gentil, ca!" And the session ended in a gale of cordiality.

                Christmas day dawned, gray and cold, with a biting wind whipping down the long main street. After a hasty breakfast, the finishing touches were put on policing, the billets reduced to a state of chilly perfection, and each section fell in in front of its "logement" to wait for the President to come by, as scheduled in orders.

                We waited. Noon came. The hour for our long-anticipated Christmas dinner arrived, and still no President. The wind reduced us to a state of icy in­ difference. And we waited.

                Finally, at two o'clock, word was received that the President would not visit Varennes, and we were dismissed, after standing for nearly four mortal hours in the biting wind.

                Owing to the lateness of the hour, our dinner was a mixed up, ill-served affair, and it was with a decided sense of relief that we finally washed our mess-kits and settled down to enjoy what was left of the after­ noon. Evening brought forth a repetition of the show of the previous night, staged this time for the especial benefit of the Battery, though a few French families who had not been present at the previous performance were invited. And so our Christmas ended.

                A tremendous enthusiasm for foot-drill on the part of the powers that be ushered in the New Year. We did squads right and squads left and similar brac-

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